


... It's Who You Know

by AllaboutFinn (Savoury_Jelly)



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Finnrey fridays, Theme Week, accidental crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-15 17:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13618077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Savoury_Jelly/pseuds/AllaboutFinn
Summary: Rey makes a friend and an important decision just in the nick of time.





	... It's Who You Know

Rey decided she wasn’t going to overthink things.

Sure, her date left a lot to be desired. He chewed with his mouth open, for one. He’d addressed more of his conversation to her cleavage than to her personally, for another, and he had _the most_ annoying laugh – something between a snort and a giggle with a sort of whistle thrown in the middle …

But, as she followed him into the dim coffee shop, Rey gave an internal shrug. It was a first date. There were bound to be hiccups. Maybe the guy was nervous. He’d told her during one of their long texting sessions after they’d matched on the dating app that he worked a lot, and as a result didn’t get out much. The date hadn’t been stellar, but it hadn’t been a total disaster either. Not … really.

The shop was smaller than it looked on the outside, but it was neat and cozy with exposed brick, gleaming wood floors, an antique-looking espresso machine weighing down one end of a long counter and delectable-looking pastries in glass domes at the other end.

Rey found herself breathing a little easier in the cheerful space, and she returned the wide smile of the barista as he asked what they would like. Rey was a little taken aback when her date bulled ahead, even though the barista was clearly expecting _her_ to order first, but she waited patiently while he droned on with his order, and then glanced over at her as if shocked to see her there.

“Oh, yeah, did you want something?”

Rey noticed the barista give him a sharp glance at that. She also noticed that the barista was quite handsome. He wasn’t as tall as her date, but he was taller than her by a tick or two, and had dark skin and hair and eyes. That brilliant smile he’d flashed moments ago returned when she spoke up, ordering a caramel mocha.

The barista bustled off to make the drinks, and Rey was “treated” to a monologue from her date about how _real_ espresso was often not made properly, and that he had a coffee grinder and a top-shelf machine at his apartment, if she really wanted to taste a _real_ espresso.

Rey sidestepped the obvious invitation, murmuring vaguely interested responses whenever her date took a breath. She looked around. It was somewhat crowded in the shop, but not so much that she felt uncomfortable. Cute little tables near the window were all occupied, except for one, which was being cleared by another employee, a pretty girl with heavy black fringe and her hair in a ponytail. There was soft music playing, but Rey didn’t recognize it. It was pleasant and unobtrusive, more of a background soundtrack to the quiet conversations that were happening. Rey thought the place a perfect date location, and she guiltily wondered if it might not be a good place to meet her _next_ date, particularly if this one didn’t pick up – fast.

Their drinks ready, Rey bit her lip when her companion turned away without dropping anything in the tip jar. She opened her purse and contributed a dollar, which earned her another wide smile from the handsome barista. She smiled back and she felt a slight jolt when their eyes met and held. Rey shook herself out of it –

_You’re on a date. You’re on a date. Don’t be rude_

_–_ and turned to follow the retreating back of her escort.

The table near the window that had been in the process of being cleaned was free, but Rey stumbled a little when a hand fell atop hers as she went to pull out the chair.

“Oh, my goodness! I’m so sorry, dear.”

Rey turned around. Peering at her somewhat uncertainly was an old woman. She had a lined face and sad eyes that looked dark in the light. Her hair was nearly white and pulled back in an untidy bun. She wasn’t dressed shabbily, but she didn’t have the whiff of money about her that Rey had noticed other older people in that part of the city had.

The old woman looked slightly bewildered. “I was sitting here, you see, and I thought –”

“Nobody was sitting here,” came the imperious voice of Rey’s date. “This table was empty, and _we_ were here first.”

Rey winced. He was right, but did he have to sound like such a douche about it?

The old woman glanced at him and then turned her mild gaze to Rey.

“I had my newspaper here, I _thought_ , but it might have been one of the other tables? Or …”

“—There wasn’t anything here. The girl had just cleaned it. This is _our_ table.”

Rey gave him a _will you cut it out_? look before turning to the woman with a small smile.

“Maybe we could sit over near the corner at that –”

“No, no.” The old woman smiled muzzily. “I apologize. It was my mistake. I can sit somewhere else.”

She turned and walked slowly away, toward one of the few open tables. It was a high table with a high stool. Rey bit her lip as she watched the woman attempt to navigate the height, nearly slipping in one attempt. The handsome barista came over and had a low conversation with the woman. Rey saw the old woman smile radiantly up at him, accepting his help in getting settled into the chair.

Rey watched her watch the barista go back to his post. She had an indescribable expression, Rey thought. Fondness, but also sadness. It was … interesting. Perhaps the woman was a regular visitor to the shop.

“Why are you still standing up? What are you staring at?” came an irritated voice at her back. “Hello?”

Rey spun around, her irritation plain on her face.

“She’s an old lady. We could have sat somewhere else. You didn’t have to be so rude about it.”

The man looked taken aback, but then he gave a chuckle that set Rey’s teeth on edge. Did he _really_ not know how he sounded when he laughed?

“You’re adorable,” he said, with an overdone indulgent tone. “That old hag knew this wasn’t her table. You’ll have to watch yourself here, Rey. The old folks are the biggest scammers in this area.”

Rey didn’t know what to say to that, so she sat and said nothing, sipping her excellent drink while her date went into yet another monologue about himself. She was able to tune him out, mostly, listening to the pleasant music and wondering about the apartment she’d seen advertised earlier that day that seemed a fit for her budget. Now that she was working regularly and had a good wage, she was so ready to move out of the Plutt Boardinghouse with its greasy walls and stale air of despair and complete lack of light for plants.

She placed her cup down for a moment, and it was at that moment her date, punctuating his long, boring story with a flourish of his arm, bumped the table and caused her drink to slosh over the side, splashing her dress.

Rey gasped in dismay, reaching for napkins. Her date looked at her for a moment, then smirked.

“You should have asked for room in the cup. _I_ always do. If you’d asked for room, that wouldn’t have happened.”

Rey slowly brought her head up. She stared at the man opposite her. He was completely serious. He was blaming _his_ mistake on her! The drink had cooled some, but it was still hot. She could’ve gotten scalded! And his only response was that she should have asked for fucking _room_ in the cup?

Poised to give him a piece of her mind, Rey nevertheless held back. No. Not here. Not now. Just a few minutes more. Maybe he’d apologize later. Besides, he was the best prospect she’d had from the app in weeks. Not like the idiot time wasters who just wanted to fuck, or that creep Ben who’d talked about his world domination plans on their coffee meet and now wouldn’t stop texting her.

Rey stood up, looking down at herself. “I’ll be back. I want to put water on this before it stains.”

Her date shrugged, as if it were of no importance to him. And, Rey realized as she went back to the bathroom, it probably wasn’t.

The bathroom was unisex and it seemed as if it were a one-person-at-a-time setup, but when she pulled open the door, she saw the old woman in there, washing her hands at the sink. There were two stalls behind her. Like the rest of the shop, the bathrooms were clean and neat. Cozy.

The old woman looked at her in surprise. “Oh hello dear. I’ll be out of your way in a moment –”

“You’re not in my way!” said Rey hurriedly, still embarrassed by her date’s earlier behavior. “It’s fine. I spilled something on myself and I just want to put some cold water on it before it sets in.”

“Oh my.” The woman looked at her dress, shaking her head sadly. “What a pretty dress. Here you are, dear, let me help. I know a perfect trick for coffee stains.”

She wet a paper towel, and added a small squirt of hand soap, wetting the paper towel again. Taking gentle hold of the hem, the woman worked in a circular motion at the stain.

“Ah, it’s lifting, do you see? Now you try.”

Rey took hold of the paper towel and found to her relief that the coffee stain was becoming less pronounced. “Thank you so much. I’m … sort of a klutz.”

The woman’s sad eyes peered at her. “Are you, dear?”

Rey met the woman’s gaze and the hair on the back of her neck unaccountably stood on end. The woman seemed … familiar somehow. She was sure, though, she’d never seen her before in her life. Still …

“No. I’m not. My date knocked into the table and it spilled.” Rey’s voice was grim. “It was an accident, but … still annoying. This is one of my favorite dresses.”

“It’s lovely on you. Such a pretty shade of cream.” The old woman paused. “Would you take advice from an old lady, my dear?”

Rey simply stared, feeling afraid suddenly. She found herself nodding, nevertheless.

“Always listen to your gut,” said the old woman. “It’s advice I wish I’d listened to when I was a young, pretty thing like yourself. Sometimes I felt that my own feelings were a burden – or a mistake – and so I kept them in, you see. That was a mistake, one I bitterly regret now. _Trust your instincts_. They are there for a reason. Sometimes, someone isn’t just shy or just unused to company or just awkward. Sometimes they are just _wrong for you_.”

Rey gulped. The damp spot on her dress was cold, and she shivered. “I … see.”

The old woman gave another sad smile. “I can only hope you do, my dear. It’s very important.”

She hobbled out, without another word.

Rey stood in the bathroom alone for several minutes, staring at her face in the mirror. The old woman’s words had touched her somehow. They seemed … not just important, but vital.

Rey glanced at her dress. Replaying the entire evening in her mind, her face hardened. After another moment, she straightened, and exited the bathroom.

Her date was still at the table, but now he was in the midst of haranguing the young woman who had been cleaning their table when they’d first come in.

“ … Sir, as I said, we don’t have any more Raw Sugar packets in the back, but if you want agave nectar –”

“That watered down shit? No! What sort of coffee place is this?” He looked around the young lady at Rey.

“Finally! I thought you’d fallen in. What took you so long?”

The young woman muttered something not very kind beneath her breath and took her leave. Rey did not sit down. She stared down at the man, her anger bubbling just beneath the surface.

“Jeff, I’m going to call it a night. I’m sure you’ll find the right person for you, but I’m not it.”

His eyes snapped open wide. “ _What_?”

“This really hasn’t been a great time for me,” Rey went on, her resolve stiffening. “I don’t want to waste any more of your time – or mine. It was nice meeting you, but as far as I’m concerned, the date’s over.”

Jeff stood up, his face thunderous. He towered over her, but Rey lifted her chin, staring steadily at him.

“Are you serious? After I spent $45 on you at that hibachi place? You’re telling me that this is _it_?”

“I’d be happy to reimburse you,” she said in a low voice tight with anger. People were beginning to stare at them. “Would you take a check?”

“You little _bitch_. D’you really think you’re gonna get away with scamming me out of a dinner –”

“— Hey. Is there a problem here?”

Rey and Jeff swiveled. The barista was standing at the side of the table, his brow creased.

“Because if there is, maybe I can help you solve it.” The barista’s eyes were solely on Jeff. “Outside.”

“There’s no problem, except your coffee fucking sucks,” Jeff growled, sweeping his arm out suddenly and spilling his coffee all over the table.

There were shocked murmurs all around, and Jeff glowered at Rey. “Fuck you, you tight-assed little bitch.”

He turned to go, but the barista was ahead of him, gripping his shoulder in a tight fist.

“Yeah, no, dude. You’re not going anywhere until you clean up the mess you made and apologize to her.” He nodded toward Rey. “You’ve got me fucked up if you think you’re just gonna act like a dick in my place and walk out.”

Jeff squirmed. “And what if I don’t fucking _want_ to clean it up? Then what?”

The barista stiffened, but then smiled. It was not the warm, sunny smile that had enraptured Rey, but one that was devoid of any humor whatsoever, and was, thus, terrifying.

“Nah, bruh. You don’t have a choice in that. You _are_ gonna clean it up. The only choice you get is if you wanna use some napkins … or your tongue.”

Jeff started to speak, but he caught the full import of the other man’s smile and he gulped. He squirmed under what seemed to be an iron grip on his shoulder, and was tightening with every second.

With some alacrity, Jeff chose napkins.

Rey had to admit a certain satisfaction seeing the asshole scrubbing the table and the floor where liquid had dripped. Several cellphones were capturing the lovely moment. His nice clothing was stained at the end, and Rey was not about to share the old lady’s trick with him.

“Nice. Now that apology …”

Jeff glared at the barista with loathing, but he mumbled out something approximating “I’m sorry,” and rushed out of the shop, redfaced, accompanied by mocking laughter.

When Jeff had disappeared from view, the barista turned to Rey.

“Hey … you okay? He’s not gonna be waiting for you anywhere, is he? Do you need me to call anybody?”

“No. No, I’m all right. Thank you.” Rey smiled ruefully. “First date. And last, thank goodness!”

“Dating app?”

“Yep. I think I’m swearing them off for awhile.”

He grinned. “Can’t blame you. I’m taking a break from them, too. They can be … pretty demoralizing.”

“Yeah, tell her about the girl who wanted to show you her toe collection!”

That came from the young woman with the black fringe, as she walked by with a whole box of Raw Sugar packets to replenish the stock.

Rey stared at him. “ _Toe_ collection?”

“Thanks, Rose. I was just getting over my nightmares from that.” The barista made a face at his coworker, who laughed in reply, before looking over at Rey again. “Anyway, dating apps can be cool, but they can also … not be. In many ways. Uh … can I get you something else? Another caramel mocha? On the house.”

“I … sure.” Rey looked at the table in mild distaste. Mingled with the scent of spilled coffee, was Jeff’s cheap cologne. “But can I sit somewhere else?”

He laughed. “Yeah, I can’t blame you. There’s room at the counter, if you wanted?”

“Do I get to watch you work?”

He looked stunned. “Um … I suppose. Would you want to?”

Rey felt warm under those beautiful, dark eyes. She nodded slowly. “Yeah, I would.”

He smiled again and she briefly forgot her name. Which would amuse her in a few moments. He was asking her something.

“I’m sorry?”

“I was saying that I didn’t get your name. I’m Finn.”

“Rey.” She held out her hand, then paused. “Wait. Finn? As in _Finn’s Jumping Java_? This is _your_ shop?”

“Yep! Some asshole sliced my back open, and I sued. Used the settlement money to open this place. Not doing too bad so far. But maybe I need a different espresso machine …”

“No you don’t.” Her voice was firm. “Your coffee does _not_ suck. It’s the best I’ve ever had, in fact.”

Finn grinned at her. “Now, see, you shouldn’t have told me that. Now I’m gonna have to try to top myself on this next cup.”

“Somehow I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. I have faith in you.”

They smiled at each other, and Rey registered movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and saw the old woman looking at her with a smile, tears running down her face.

And then in the next moment, she was gone.

Rey jumped. “What in the …”

Finn looked concerned. “What? What’s wrong?”

“The old lady … the one you helped onto that counter stool …” Rey struggled for words. “She just … I don’t know, she just seemed to _vanish_!”

“What?” Finn looked around. “I didn’t see her – oh, she went to the bathroom, but I didn’t see her after that. I just thought she left. Hey … funny thing.”

Rey, her head still spinning, looked over at him. “What?”

“She ordered the same thing you did – a caramel mocha.” Finn huffed out a laugh. “Weird, huh?”

* * *

Rey could feel the tightness in her limbs even before she opened her eyes. Pain throbbed behind her knee caps and spiked out in several directions, causing her to draw her breath sharply.

Growing old was a pain in the arse.

Her bed felt warm and comfortable, but she knew that she had to get her tired, ancient limbs moving. She needed her hot water bottle, for one thing, and her arthritis pills. The longer she lingered in bed, the more difficult it would be to get moving.

But then she went still. An odd sound met her ears. A sound she’d not heard in … decades, perhaps?

The sound of someone … snoring.

Rey opened her eyes. Her throat was dry. She recalled that the day before was her birthday, spent as it had been spent for more years than she cared to remember, alone in her small room of Plutt’s Boarding House. Lonely, old, alone, she’d made a wish. A silly, foolish wish. She’d known where it had all gone wrong. That night she’d let that imbecile Jeff walk all over her in that cute coffee shop, and had gone home with him, and left the next morning feeling used and disgusted with her weakness. It had begun a cycle of self-loathing, of self-disgust, of despair. When that relationship inevitably flamed out, she stopped trying to reach out for love. Locked herself away. Grew alone and bitter in a stultifying atmosphere, unable to break free. If only she could somehow go back to that night and have the courage to  make different choices …

And so she’d made that wish on that odd brooch that she’d found in that funny little shop and was told was an old family heirloom that could grant exactly one wish. She’d never been moved to even look at the thing before, but yesterday, her regret and loneliness, and pain and disgust as she marked another year of life had driven her to do something she knew would be ridiculous.

But … someone was snoring? Next to her?

Rey slowly, painfully, turned toward the sound. A discreet pinch of her palm assured her that she was not dreaming or imagining things. Her eyes, bleary from sleep, took a moment to focus, but when they did, she nearly gasped.

There was someone in her bed. Sleeping soundly.

The face so near hers was creased with wrinkles, and the tightly curled hair streaked with grey. The man’s lush lips were slightly open, and he stirred a little, mumbling something in his slumber.

Rey stared. And stared.

The wish.

Had she?

Had … _they_ …?

But that – that was _impossible_ …

“Finn …?”

Her voice was soft, but shaking with emotion. The old man next to her stirred, but suddenly opened his eyes. Yawning widely, he grimaced as he attempted to rise on one elbow.

“Hmmm. Oh, morning love. You’re up early. Knees hurting you bad?”

“I …” Rey could barely talk. He’d reached out a hand to card her loose grey hair. There was a wedding band on his finger, tarnished with age. In wonder, she lifted her left hand and saw an identical one there.

“I … yes. A little.”

“Too much wine yesterday.” His voice was thick with amusement. “Told Rose not to break out too much of the good stuff. But that’s what you get when one of your best friends has a daughter who owns a whole damn vineyard.”

“Rose …” Rey repeated softly. “Rose …?”

Finn was staring at her oddly. “Honey are you all right? Let me get up, get you your hot water bottle … your pills.”

“No… I can do that, Finn.” Rey’s voice caught. “Stay in bed.”

“You sure? We’re doing your birthday the whole month.” His voice was drowsy. “Remember? Don’t mind waiting on you hand and foot. Only the best for my beautiful wife’s birthday month.”

“I … remember.” Rey smiled threadily at him. “But I can do it. I’ll be right back.”

Rey slipped out of bed, drawing a nightdress around her thin body. She could tell at a glance she was not in the stilted atmosphere of Plutt’s. She was in a beautiful ranch-style home. It had beautiful light and there were plants everywhere. She padded out into the hallway, staring in wonder at surrounding that seemed so familiar, but that she knew were not.

And in the living room, she saw the mantelpiece, crammed with pictures. Many of them were of beautiful, curly-haired children – some had her eyes, some had Finn’s. All had his smile. And other pictures were of children of those children, varying skin colors and hair styles and ages, but some still with the eyes of their grandparents.

Rey stared at these pictures in dawning comprehension before stopping at two large portraits right at the center of the mantelpiece.

One was her as a young woman, the night she met Finn and fell in love with him. She was sitting at the counter and they had taken a selfie – getting the picture blown up later. There was still the slight outline of a coffee stain visible on her dress in the picture. It never had completely come out.

The next photo was also taken inside the little coffeeshop, and she was also wearing a white dress in that picture. But she had a bouquet in her hands, and Finn had traded his barista uniform for a smart suit. They were kissing after being pronounced man and wife. To the side stood Rose, wiping her eyes, and an olive-skinned man that Rey’s mind told her was called Poe, and had been Finn’s best man at their wedding. She’d met him at the shop after she and Finn had returned their after their first real date … two days after that first picture had been taken. More than 50 years ago now.

The tears fell, and Rey stared at her younger self, half laughing, half sobbing.

“It worked. Thank the Maker … it worked! I don’t know how, but …”

“Rey?”

Finn was suddenly behind her, his voice filled with concern.

“Babe, what’s wrong? Why the tears? Is it your knees?” He straightened painfully, rubbing his back. “Go back to bed. Let me take care of you.”

Rey shook her head. “I’m fine. I was just … going down memory lane.” She gestured toward the picture of the two of them on the night they met.

“Finn … do you remember that old woman you helped? The night I first came into the shop? She had a hard time getting into one of those high stools?”

Her husband frowned in the effort of remembering.

“Hm. Oh, wait, yes. I think I do. Didn’t you say she … vanished or something?”

“Or something,” Rey said softly.

“ Never saw her again, I don’t think. At least, she never came in again that I saw. Nice lady, from what I can remember. What brought her to mind all of a sudden?”

“I was just thinking … she gave me some advice that night,” said Rey. “Something I’d never heard before. Something I think I needed to hear … from myself.”

“Oh yeah?” Finn studied her curiously. “Well, did you take her advice anyway?”

Rey nodded, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks, as the memories of the life she and Finn had built together began to flood her brain like a software download.

She fell into her husband’s arms, holding him tightly and closing the door on a life she’d once lived that no longer had any meaning.

**Author's Note:**

> I was intrigued by the Kids/Growing Old theme for Finnrey Friday but couldn't think of a good way to interpret it. Then this popped into my head. I'm generally not a time-travel person, but I thought it might be nice here. Thanks for reading!


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